The Golden Kitsune
by clockwork crow
Summary: Ed went through the gate to the other side, lost and regained something precious. When he returns, will the people accept him, or will they believe he's something else? [YYH xover, mostly in FMAverse, Shounenai.]
1. Prologue

**The Golden Kitsune**

Disclaimers: If I owned them…I'll be writing this for $$$$$…

Synopsis: FMA x YYH. Edward went through the gate (no new thing there) got into our world (no new thing there either) didn't lose his limbs but lost something infinitely more precious (I don't mean Al…). Based loosely after the anime ends. (Movie doesn't exist in my universe! crackles up evilly )

Warnings: Lots of flashbacks, shrimpiness and demons ahead. Mb shonen-ai…a little…more like bi-ness though.

CC note: I figured since there seems to be quite a lot of FMA and HP crossover, I'll do one too…with YYH because foxes are just too kyute!

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**Prologue**

"It's you again. Don't you ever get tired of this Edward Elric?" The white figure, as godly as he tried to appear, did not hide his amusement or exasperation that well. True, he is amused and surprised. Not many attempted opening the gate for the second time, especially when something precious is lost every time. The figure liked to reason it with the 'equivalent exchange' nonsense. It made life a lot easier when he got to play around with mortal's lives without suffering the wrath of the his boss. Of course, there were loopholes that he created but it's been a while since some mortal discovered it. And it's also been a while since some mortal managed to drop by his home. "What do you want this time? Speak quickly. I tire your presence."

Edward gulped noisily, nervous, but outwardly appearing calm, except for the tell-tale twitch of his left hand. "I…I want Al's body back." The young teenager blurted out. Determined golden eyes stared then blinked at the shining white figure that is the cause of his temporary blindness.

"Al? You mean your brother?" The figure sighed. "I should have known. Well, I'll make you the deal of your life, as a reunion present I suppose." He smirked to himself. Feeling generous at the moment, not that he wasn't generous at all, but he felt like being more generous that day. And face it, he couldn't manipulate everything to go the cute blonde's way, but he can change the circumstances a little…to his favor. "I can give back Al's body but…you'll have to repay it with…"

Edward grumbled to himself. After being with Mustang and company for so long, he still have a little trouble accepting the fact that equivalent exchange may sound simple and logical, simply does not work. When dealing with god-like figures, such as the one causing his eyes much grief at the moment, equivalent exchange meant that Edward gets only two bites out of a whole cookie. Not necessary fair, only getting a taste of what he wanted, but enough to be able to say he had a cookie. "Take what you want. As long as Al's body is whole, I don't care."

"I'll take your word for that Edward Elric."

The gate opened for the second time in Edward's life. Brilliant colors flashed past him, pouring out of the gate, seemingly to rejoice in their new-found freedom. Around and around they twisted, one color blending into the other, in a chaotic dance spinning quicker and quicker around the teenager until a dark shape swooped down and he was temporarily swallowed up inside a myriad of colors.

_&&&&&&&&&&&&_

"Okay, the indicator says the demon should be around here." Yusuke scratched his head with puzzlement staring at the compass-like needle. "Damn it. Where's Kuwabara when you needed him?"

The red head beside him chuckled lightly, tossing his hair behind him to keep it out of his leaf-green eyes. "He's taking his university entrance exam right now. He's been lamenting it for over a week. Hope he does well."

The leader of the group of duo snorted distastefully. " After all that tutoring you've been giving him. It's hard not to." Not a lot of many things frightened Yusuke, commonly lovingly known as the demonic gangster behind his back by his human enemies. In his short life, he had only been known to be scared of three things, Keiko when pissed, Genkai during training, and Kurama in tutoring mode. The last one was only recently added since he usually studied with Keiko holding frying pan threateningly above his head. After getting hit too many times on the head, Yusuke appealed to the gentle, intelligent red-head, hoping that at least he wouldn't get hit as hard and that Keiko would stop nagging. After two days, Yusuke turned back to Keiko for help. Kurama was smart, patient, with the occasional threat of feeding him to his pet death tree if Yusuke doesn't wake up from his many naps. He didn't mind it that much. However, Yusuke did mind how the news somehow leaked to the fire demon and Hiei constantly stuck his nose in, threatening to burn or slice him for taking up too much of the kitsune's time. Well, it was the threatening and the snide remarks that maybe Yusuke shouldn't be the leader since he doesn't have enough brain cells to rub together. That pissed him off, which in turn pissed Kurama off, which meant Yusuke was soon sitting beside a miniaturized version of the death tree, gaping his horrendous mouth at him, while trying to learn logarithms.

Yusuke hoped that Kuwabara didn't receive the same treatment he did.

"Where's Hiei? Isn't he with you?" Yusuke hadn't seen the fire demon for a week, partially because he had been stuck with Keiko nagging him and refusing to let him out without studying first, which took all day.

"He's in Makai. Mukuro needed him to run some rogue youkai out from their borders. From what I heard, there were bandits that were stealing from…did you hear that?" Kurama stopped abruptly, cocking his head to one side, a fall of red hair covering the left side of his pale face. His friend nodded, sprinting to the general direction of the scream, unheeding Koenma's advice to take this mission cautiously. Yusuke doesn't really listen to the toddler and tends to tune out until the meeting was over. Then, he'd ask Hiei or Kurama, who'd give him the general idea. Plus, he just wanted to get this over and done with. Now that high school is finally over, Yusuke wanted to spend his time in Ningenkai having fun, preferably in the arcade, not running around killing demons.

The detective stopped abruptly. The compass showed clearly that the demon was currently…trapped in Genkai's gardening shed. Must be a very weak demon if the thing couldn't even break the rusted lock off the door. Glancing at his taller friend next to him, Yusuke nodded at Kurama. One spirit gun blast should work.

Yusuke clasped his hand together, gathering his ki inside him before…

"Wait." The reincarnated fox demon pushed his friend's clasped hands away, green eyes betraying a glimmer of…something.

"What?" Yusuke rubbed his hand behind his head in confusion. "I want to get this done and over with Kurama. What's the hold up?"

"Let me go in first. I don't think it's vicious." Calmly, Kurama walked towards the wooden shed door, ignoring the other's protest. It was odd. He could feel something that was in there that stirred his restless yoko soul. An inner tug that told him to be curious and investigate. Kurama stepped closer to the door. He couldn't feel any malignant ki from behind the door.

Yususke sighed and followed the red head. Kurama is getting too soft-hearted, not that he'll say that out loud if he wanted to live. Living with a ningen mother certainly taught Kurama about humanity and kindness, and unfortunately, also naiveté and second chances, that may prove to be fatal. Watching as the red head easily broke the lock with a flick of his wrist, he decided that if anyone should go in first, it should be him. He was the leader afterall. And if there is going to be a fight, he wanted to be a participant, not a spectator.

The shed was a mess. It was expected. Ever since Kurama joined their team, Genkai's garden had been flourishing without the help of modern tools. The air was thick with dust and floating insects. Gardening tools, long rusted and blunted, had fallen onto the floor. Boxes that were once stacked up neatly in the back of the shed had fallen over, contents spilling all over the ground where bugs scurried past in frenzy.

Yusuke, being a half demon with Genkai's training, spotted the slight movement underneath the boxes almost immediately. Reaching down, the detective grabbed a fistful of shirt and tugged.

He was instantly confronted with a pair of bright golden eyes, wide with apprehension and slight fear, not that the small youkai would admit it. "It's just a baby Kurama. What should we do with it?"

The young youkai puffed his cheeks out immediately, small fists attempted to hit the detective who stood far enough to be out of reach, but close enough so the golden-haired youkai was dangling in the air by Yusuke holding the back of his shirt. "WHO ARE YOU CALLING A BABY YOU GREASED HAIRBALL!"

Kurama's eyes softened at the sight of the little golden kit. Fox demons are very protective of their young. This little one must have wandered too far and fell into a portal. It wasn't uncommon but that means there's an unclosed portal somewhere in Makai, which they will have to find. Holding his arms out, Kurama wrapped his arms around the small kitsune, sniffing him slightly, taking in the scent of blood and gun powder that obscured the kitsune's own scent. How odd.

The smaller kitsune calmed down almost immediately as Kurama soothed the kit by stroking him softly behind his golden ears and bushy tail. "Are your parents around here, kit?"

Blinking sleepiness from his amber eyes, the kit replied in a slurred fashion. Obviously, past his bedtime hour, Kurama noted absentmindedly. It was still a baby kit, afterall. Youkai that are less than a decade old needed to take afternoon naps since they tire so easily. Being unable to control their youki, they sometimes expend too much energy leaving them drained, since they didn't have a lot to begin with. "I…They're dead…I think…where am…I? Who are you?"

"This is Urameshi Yusuke. I'm Minamino Shuichi. You're in ningenkai right now."

"Ningenkai?" Blurry eyes blinked into leaf-green ones with obvious confusion, then peeked at the black-haired boy sneezing loudly.

"Don't worry kit. We'll take care of you." Kurama hugged the small golden fox kit closer ignoring Yusuke spluttering of 'we? We? I never said anything!'

Edward Elric nodded slightly, eyes sliding slowly to a close, unconsciously snuggling to the person holding him in his arms. Usually, Ed would howl, bite, and curse if anyone ever tried to carry him like a baby in public. But right now…he was too tired to care. Plus, the revelation of having flesh arms, legs, and an added bushy golden tail, the thing that freaked him out since he thought it had been a particularly hairy spider on his leg at first. Ed welcomed the enveloping darkness, hoping that after a good nap everything would be much clearer.

_&&&&&&&&&&&&&_

**Approximately 300 years later…** (A/N: I know it's quite a jump in time but youkai can practically live forever…and Edo-kun does have a lot of growing to do. sniggers at glowering Edo-chibi )

Edward Elric, otherwise known as Edo-kun to his closest friends, also known as the infamous Yoko Kurama's prodigy, could hardly believe his ears or his eyes. Having frantically searched for a way to reunite with Alphonse the moment he stepped on foreign soil and not finding a single grain of information for 50 years is very frustrating. In fact, after that first 50 years, Ed had given up on all hope. Instead he threw himself into learning as much as he could from Kurama. He didn't really want to look at a 60-year-old Alphonse and be reminded of Al's mortality and his seeming, immortality.

Now, he blinked, almost uncomprehending in his disbelief that he had been temporary discharged from the Rekai Tentai. The prince of the spirit world, Koenma, had delivered his monologue with his usual flair and pompousness. Since Edo, they somehow renamed him Edo instead of Ed and completely missed his surname out, which Ed was grateful for, had been injured from the last assignment. The prince is going to let him travel to another world, via a portal, where it would be safer for him to recuperate. Also, while he was there, would Edo mind if he killed off the three youkai that escaped to that world?

"I thought you wanted me to recuperate." Ed growled, golden eyes flashed dangerously. "Isn't this going back on your word?"

Koenma coughed into his pacifier. "Well, you can catch them after you've finished recuperating. I'm going to give you half a year for you to recuperate and catch those youkai. The portal will appear exactly where you appear, make sure you are there when the moon is directly above you or someone else might get sent over here instead. I'm trusting you in this Edo-kun. You're the best I have currently in the field. Plus you've already been there before…I think. At least my uncle says so."

Ed nodded with a scowl. Reading between the lines, Koenma said that only because he was currently the only one _in _the bloody field. The rest of the Reikai Tentai was off busy doing other assignments that had nothing to do with the Reikai. Yusuke was busy dealing with his inherited kingdom, trying to run it with Kurama beside him as his main counselor. Kurama ran interchangeably, back and forth between Yomi and Yusuke, acting as a visiting counselor as well as friend, trying to build a better relationship between the two kingdoms. Hiei, the fire demon, though still on probation for another hundred years or so, had been practically seen to be on constant off-duty to the Reikai business, ever since Mukuro took her complaint up a notch. She demanded Koenma to stop sending her heir into useless killings where he wouldn't learn a thing about fighting and would rather him spend the time learning to be tactful. If Koenma didn't comply, he'd be swamped with paperwork with all the future killings Hiei will undertake because Koenma is stupid enough not to teach his subordinate tact. Kuwabara, whose cat-loving behavior reminded Ed so much of Alphonse, had died 150 years ago, reincarnated several times before ended up as a permanent spiritual fixture as a teacher of ki manipulation.

This made Ed the _only _Tentai member still in the field.

Of course the fact that he's been there before meant only one thing. He's going back. The bastard toddler knew the way the entire time and didn't tell him, until now…when it's too late. Ed bowed his head, wondering if he'd be able to find Al's grave 200 years after his death. That is, if Al did live to a ripe old age.

Ed pushed his depressing thoughts away, regaining his professional calmness in a matter of seconds.

"Cut the chase already. What are the three demons I have to capture?"

Koenma muttered something under his breath. "I…don't really know. There's no information about any missing S-class demon so it shouldn't be too difficult for you. But youki is sensed to have passed through the portal. I don't even know how they got into that room in the first place!" The toddler's eyebrows creased with frustration. Only a handful of people knew about the gate to all worlds. And only his father and his uncle held the keys to the gate. How in the world did those rogue youkai find the hidden gate when even he, the great prince of Reikai, don't even have the keys to it. Koenma pouted childishly.

"Maybe because your security sucks Koenma-sama." The golden kitsune drawled out the words mockingly, pink lips curved in a small smirk. "Face it, my liege, if it was so secretive, it's a definite that when it's leaked out, it leaks everywhere."

Koenma huffed and turned down to stamp another document. Another death, another file, another boring day in the office with never-ending stream of paperwork. Why the hell do ningens insist on having so many children anyway? "Matters not now. The important thing is for you to bring back those three youkai, either in spirit or in person. The portal will be activated here for you tomorrow during my lunch break. Make sure you're ready to go by then."

Ed turned to go before the toddler could give him more orders than he could handle. This was the cause of his current injured state. The youkai had cursed him to heal at a ningen's rate. Fortunately, Ed had managed to kill him off so the curse should be wearing off soon. Although, some curses were known to linger long after the death of its invoker. Ed hoped this wouldn't be the case.

"Oh…one more thing Edo-kun. Make sure you remain blended into the environment. We don't want to cause mass panic if the inhabitants realize that youkai exists. Or the Reikai for that matter. Bad enough they all think they're going to heaven."

Ed snorted with derision and disappeared back to Makai. Only fools believe in heaven. Unfortunately there were a lot of them. Al certainly wasn't one of them.

_Owari…

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_

**Terms** (stuff most people know already but still clarify):

Youki – demonic energy or aura

Youkai – demon

Edo – Edward Elric. Since he's obviously a kitsune, he was actually speaking in Makai dialect to Kurama. In Japanese they probably pronounce his name as E-do-wa-ru-de. Hence, in Japanese version of anime, he's Edo. I'll call him Edo because it sounds and looks so much better than just Ed. Also to highlight the difference in language. Thus when Edward goes back to Central, Edo would actually be another name that is not the same as Ed.

Ningen – mortal human

Ningenkai – human realm, where I unfortunately still reside but plan to move to Reikai soon.

Reikai- spirit realm or world. I'm going to use this term loosely and interchangeably.

Yomi - the goat youkai, blinded by Kurama but later became a King with a cloned son, Shura.

A/N: J-pop rocks! Review pls…it's my first YYH and FMA ficcy….and I want to know if I'm doing this right or not. It's been a while since I've written anything.

More explanations in next chappy...this is just the prologue...want more? Pls Review!


	2. Chapter 1

Disclaimers: Read prologue.

Warnings: Read prologue.

Ratings: T for possible violence that have yet to occur and minor adult innuendoes that somehow popped up much to CC's surprise and astonishment.

A/N: Thanks for the reviews…I'm trying very hard not to start new stories but my mind is just blanking out on my older ones…sorry…I'm not making promises…actually I might just so I can break them. Muhahahaha!

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**Chapter 1**

The golden haired kitsune landed silently on all fours, thanking Koenma that he had sense not to have the portal appear in a crowded part of town. There is still, a small matter of dropping in a way that didn't jar his sore, broken ribs and the several deep gashes on his back, courtesy of Koenma dispatching him on the last mission without any backup. The toddler god had received quite an earful from Kurama when his 'kit' came back home drenched in his own blood and depleted youki reserves.

Ed snickered from the memory of toddler Koenma peeing in his diaper when Kurama had summoned his death tree on top of his paperwork, then winced. He had forgotten his broken ribs. Damn, that hurt.

Rubbing one hand over his sore chest relieved that the fall didn't break open his stitches. Ed studied his surroundings critically. He seemed to be in a middle of a field that stretched for as far as his eyes can see. In a ningen's point of view, this is definitely not a good sign, being lost in the middle of nowhere. To Ed's sense of smell, however, he could smell the burnt stench of coal and steam from a nearby railroad station, the perfume of fruit trees coming from the warm Westward breeze, and the stink of pollution coming from a nearby large city.

Sometimes Ed did not regret being a kitsune.

Ed placed his duffel bag beside him, rummaging around to find his disguise. Kurama, his mentor, had taken him to Ningenkai to stay with Genkai for training. Ningenkai was much more technological advanced than his home world. Ed had stared in fascination at the televisions, airplanes, video games, satellites, space travel, and bullet trains. This opened up a new world of knowledge that Ed was all too willing to explore and forget how he could no longer do alchemy.

The explanation is really rather simple. Being the general truth behind all truths, it took a while for Ed to accept it.

Because as we all know, the real truth is never as great as it sounds.

Koenma's bastard of an uncle took away all his alchemy skills in return for banishing him into Makai and returning Al's body. Unfortunately, the uncle was slightly drunk at that time, which made sense seeing how Ed remembered the god appeared somewhat giddy, banished him through the wrong gate and Ed ended up in Ningenkai, setting off shrill warning alarms in Koenma's office. The Reikai Tentai picked him up only to be recruited by Koenma who saw the potential in having another kitsune in the team. One that could be trained and tamed as he saw fit. One who isn't a kleptomaniac with several overly-protective potential mates.

His training began almost immediately, pushed along by Genkai's forceful, homicidal ways of teaching and Kurama's gentle persuasion. Because of his full youkai status, Koenma had to issue a permit in which he could travel freely between Ningenkai and Makai. The young god reasoned that Ed needed to get used to fighting and going incognito in both worlds, similar to what Yukina had only she didn't need to fight youkai to earn her keep. Much to Koenma's displeasure, Ed had ended up spending more time in Ningenkai than Makai, saying that it was infinitely more peaceful there and that there weren't random youkai trying to test their strength by killing him, or seeking revenge against Kurama.

Ed had neglected to inform Koenma that the real reason was that opening a portal was too tiring.

Now that Ed is back to where he came from, he couldn't help but hope that his world had evolved somewhat like Ningenkai, with all its conveniences.

Ed loved his I-pod too much to let go right now. Too bad Kurama had purposely left it out of his duffel bag.

Stretching his youkai sense out, the golden kitsune felt no distinct reiki (1) coming from anywhere around him. No humans nearby. The wild grass welcomed him as their own, lightly brushing against his legs and furred, golden tails – Ed had two, displaying his now adult status as a kitsune. The wind smelt faintly of rain, a promise of a storm coming towards him.

Ed hurriedly donned his disguise, the same one as he uses for infiltration work in Ningenkai. He had no wish to become a drenched kitsune. Most foxes don't mind the rain, but Ed was different. He despised it. It probably came from the fact that every time it rained his automail would get rusty and he'd have to begin the tedious work of oiling himself or face the Winry's almighty wrench of doom.

Putting on the last touches of his disguise, the golden kitsune examined himself to make sure no odd bits were sticking out. It wasn't anything spectacular. Just a gray beret atop his head to hide his furry ears and a long sleeveless, waterproof coat closed in the front with pieces of leather, flaring out at his waist, hung down to his ankles, effectively hiding his two tails underneath it. Beneath the coat, Ed wore a long sleeved black T-shirt and soft silk pants, to hide all the many layers of bandages Kurama had placed on him.

Kurama really did fuss too much.

Ed smiled at the memory of his mentor. He was one of the only people that ranked high in Ed's list of favorite people. Of course Al came first but…on second thoughts let's not think about that.

Sighing to himself, Ed made his way to the nearest place of civilization. It'd probably take him an hour to get there. Hopefully he'd get there without experiencing being drenched, catching a cold and wheezing with four broken ribs.

Mentally, Ed cursed at the youkai that had wounded him, placing him on restricted youki usage.

Well, at least the bastard's dead now. The curse should wear off soon and Ed could finally use his youki without hurting himself once more.

Not being able to use alchemy or youki sucked…

Better start hiking…

CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC

_An hour and fifteen minutes later…_

Edward was shocked.

No. More than shocked. Maybe bordering hysterical.

Staring gobsmacked at the date on the corner of the current newspaper, Ed did a quick metal calculation. 1932…

14 years…

Somehow he had jumped back in time…well, Koenma's uncle did say the gates bends time as well as reality since the two intertwined with each other. He tried to drop Ed in the same time zone as the rogue youkai but nothing is certain. At least this time, Koenma's uncle didn't act too drunk.

That meant Al was still alive!

And he would be…29 years old!

And bastard Mustang probably retired finally!

Ed sniggered softly at the thought of Mustang hobbling around with a cane and bad back.

"Are you buying punk? If not then scram!" The vendor glared at him, anger coloring his reiki into a brighter orange color.

Amused at the brusqueness of the ningen, Ed placed down a paper and moved on. If that was how the man did business, he did not deserve to be paid for it. Well, that and Ed had no intention of buying the paper anyway, he'd already finished the first page.

Ed crossed the street, rounded the corner away from the vendor's sight and took out his stolen paper. The news wasn't all that interesting. In fact, after the war, Ed suspected it ended shortly after he'd disappeared, left this world quite peaceful with minor skirmishes here and there. Of course, there were still robberies, corrupt officers, unorthodox transmutations…but those occurrences are rarer than the suppressed rebel group trying to overthrow the government.

Ed glanced back down on the paper, amber eyes scanning for any oddities. Except for a rather large section of how a politician was cheating on his wife, there's nothing really that important.

Maybe he should try the library or something. Ed sighed wistfully, thinking back on those old days where he and Al would sit side by side with books scattered around them in a chaotic, organized fashion. Al, being a suit of armor, did not deter his glee when he found something useful for their latest mission. Bruising from Al's enthusiastic hugs was more common than Ed getting hurt from a mission. Often, he would fall asleep on one of the many books and Al would have to carry him back to his barracks, or simply drape a blanket over him to ensure he wouldn't catch a cold.

He missed those days.

Shaking his head to clear his thoughts Ed moved to more important things. He decided to lay low for a while, hunt for underground rings to gain information. Currently, it wouldn't do for him to get into another youkai confrontation relying on his depleted reserves. Research would be first priority. Then move in for the kill before hunting down Al. It wouldn't be safe for his brother to be caught up on demonic doings, even if Al could do alchemy and he couldn't.

A few hours later, Ed found himself boarding at a rundown inn on the poorer side of Central. Since working for Koenma didn't pay well, in fact it could be said he was paid less than decent wages. What little wealth he acquired came from looting the youkai he dispatched or from odd jobs usually given by Genkai or Yusuke when they felt too lazy to move from their television set. And of course, Kurama doted on him but he gave mostly gifts not money.

The inn, Ed felt, would have been aptly named as a forgotten whorehouse where all the older workers found themselves after their fountain of youth was depleted. However the board was cheap, the water relatively drinkable and the bed had no bed mites. That was good enough for Ed, even though he had to evade wandering hands from temporary, drunk boarders.

Down the street from the inn was a seedy bar, where most of the patrons hold unsteady jobs depending on gang feuds and the number of scheming, paranoid politicians. Some patrons came mostly to gamble, drink, or looking to have a good time with one of the many dolled up laborers slumped seductively over each other. It was noisy, messy and sweaty. An ideal place for underground gossip to fester with many of its patrons coming from different rebel factions of the city.

The food wasn't all that bad either.

Neither was the ale.

Being in such a run-down area had its advantages afterall. Ed looked about sixteen years old and still on the short side but the barman didn't care as long as he could pay. Kurama had kindly informed him that he was probably a desert fox, thus his smaller stature and fragile appearance. He had finally accepted, after about mulling over that idea for a few days, that he'd never be as tall as the other kitsune. But 'fragile' had a simile to 'weak' and that Ed found was unacceptable. Ed had thrown a tantrum due to that comment.

Until Kurama taught him how to use it to his advantage.

His long locks of silky gold trailed down to his waist were no longer in its customary braid. It hung loose, tempting others to trail their fingers through to marvel at its softness. To strangers, it appeared harmless, but for Ed it was merely for practical reasons. It was easier to pull seeds out without having to worry about messing up his braid. His long bangs remained unchanged, framing his heart-shaped face and tied at the bottom with delicate vines, to which ningens assumed to be a green hair tie. In reality they were vines with thorns that could be plucked and thrown like a dart to paralyze his enemies. (2) His golden eyes were brighter than before, probably due to the fact that he could see in the dark, reflected light easily. Similar to Kurama, he had the pale, flawless skin that was inherent in all kitsunes and a natural charm that pulled people to him, often causing more trouble and headaches than Ed would like. That was, as mentioned above, before Kurama taught him how to handle troublesome youkai and manipulate them to do his biddings.

Using his looks and youth in his advantage, Ed gathered information easily from the perverted, drunk patrons all too willing to share their dark dealings with the illegal side. Unfortunately, most were also eager to share their beds. Those that did asked ended with their wallet severely slaughtered as Ed ordered more beer and food for they could consume. With a flash of pearly white teeth, they were all too eager to spend their entire savings on him, as well as incurring a large amount of debt, courtesy of Ed.

It was a perfect strategy that hadn't failed him.

Until now.

By the end of two weeks, Ed was frustrated and annoyed. He wanted to get the mission over as soon as possible, so he could start hunting down Al. Unfortunately, all the information he had garnered in those two weeks was that he desperately needed a new lead.

Talk of illegal alchemy was rare. The ningens seemed afraid of it. Some went further saying it was an unholy science that should be banned. Most the dealings Ed had discovered had to do with illegal arms trading, running pleasure houses, and feudal gangs. He had kept an ear out for any major robberies, violent deaths, or sudden disappearances, but so far there had been nothing.

This was really odd considering most youkai Ed fought wanted either wealth or the power needed to obtain said wealth.

So he's either dealing three misplaced, confused youkai or unconventional, cunning youkai.

Ed believed it would most likely be the latter. Koenma wouldn't send his only Reikai Tentai to do a job Botan could do.

The barkeep pushed another glass of ale towards him, ignoring the fact that Ed looked underage but smiling as he had received a generous tip. Business had been booming for the past week. Rumors that a young and very attractive person frequenting their bar had got around the rougher side of town fairly quickly. Though the young man never stayed for long, it was enough for the many perverts and pedophiles in town to become very interested and drunk. This also included many pimps who were quick to figure out that he was unclaimed. Unfortunately for all of them, Ed managed to give them the slip every night so far. "It's from that gentleman with a blue jacket."

Ed nodded his thanks. He looked at the man wearing a furred blue jacket at the end of the bar, another pervert no doubt. He was rewarded with a wink and come-hither look. The kitsune suppressed a sigh at the depravity of humanity. Another pedophile on the loose. It is quite surprising there seems to be such a lot of them around. Ed took a sip from the mug and left the bar, ignoring the longing gazes behind him.

It was time to move on.

Humming a soft song, Ed meandered his way down the streets of Central. Things certainly have changed. There were more people out at night for one thing. Perhaps the city was made safer while he was gone. Maybe it was because he is in the ghetto side of Central. Or perhaps the threat of rebels had already been forgotten. Ed didn't really know, but then he couldn't really remember clearly what it was like either. Being that it was more than 200 years ago that Ed had been here.

The kitsune soon found himself at a very familiar building. The library. Still boasting having nearly a complete collection of everything, in spite of having been burnt down more than a decade ago. It would simple matter of breaking in and entering the building to research.

But Ed ignored it for now. It had been a military complex before but he knew, by past experiences, that important documents would be kept out of sight and under highest security. Plus, the library contained outdated information, which, for Ed, is rather useless.

That in mind, he decided to check out the military complex in the center of the city. He was fairly certain he could slip in easily, but just as a precaution he should check how the security worked first.

Kurama did a good job drilling in him battle tactics and the consequences of using fist first, brain later. Sometimes, Yusuke would barge into Kurama's lecture, ignoring the red head's scowl, boasting how many opponents he'd taken out by using his fist first, think later strategy. His red-haired mentor would calmly retort that it was Yusuke's only strategy that it successfully caused him to die twice. Yusuke would then stomp off and sulk, saying that he was still alive and that's all that matters.

Ed privately agreed with Yusuke when he was younger. He liked the spontaneous battle now and then. Until Kurama told him in a patronizing manner that he is still young, still comparatively weak, still underdeveloped…

He felt his two tails bristle at the thought and immediately took several deep breaths to calm himself down. The long coat hid his tail well enough if he remembers to relax and let them droop. Right. Centuries later, Ed is still slightly sensitive over the 'weak' and 'puny' issue. He blamed it on his bad DNA, Yusuke's relentless jokes, and being surrounded by overly tall brutes when he was young.

Central's military complex remained unchanged. He couldn't quite recall what it looked like in detail but the present building looked similar to what he could remember in sketchy detail. There were night sentries posted in the front, talking and smoking amongst themselves. He could detect several wandering around the building doing their rounds. There were no surveillance cameras. Ed didn't believe his world invented it yet. The only thing that secured the building was the high wall with barbed wire and broken glass atop of it. Really pathetic.

He casually tucked his hands into his pockets, rounded the corner to check the back of the building by reaching his senses out to his surroundings. Like all city buildings, there was very little green around. A few scattered, and dying, bushes barely surviving underneath windows. The few trees that managed to grow to a reasonable height is starting to be riddled diseases and parasites.

It was pathetic.

But clever.

Dead trees provide little shelter for suicidal, brain-dead criminals who are dumb enough to break into the complex after getting severely cut up from climbing over the wall and leaving a trail of blood so thick a blind dog with a cold could follow...

Unhappily, Ed was also included in that list.

Without his youki, Ed would have to rely on his enhanced senses. This didn't really help much. His sensitive hearing and his glowing amber eyes could help him detect nearby ningens. But with his physical speed is still lacking due to his wounds.

He'll have to try back later in the week. The wounds he had garnered from before is mostly healed but Ed didn't want to risk breaking his mending ribs. Well, he does have five and a half months before Koenma's check up. Plenty of time to find several rogue youkai and prepare for the upcoming bloodbath. He grinned with anticipation. He couldn't wait! He'll kick their asses and prove that he's not puny and weak! Take that Shura -

"Kid! This area's restricted to authorized personal. You got id?" Ed blinked looking up into the eyes of one of guards around the perimeter of the military complex. The man looked back down, eyes unblinking with a slight frown at the confused look on the kid's face.

"Huh?" Ed said intelligently.

"Kid. This is a military complex. You need permission to enter. I need to see your id or some kind of letter of authorization." The man droned on in a patronizing manner as though Ed was a particularly slow and dull-witted.

"Er…I'm just leaving." He mumbled, embarrassed by how he managed to sneak in without himself noticing; face flushed with slight anger at the term 'kid'. Somehow having someone call him that when Ed's the one old enough to be his great-grandfather vexed him slightly.

Ed wondered briefly whether it was just the person that was slow or whether the military's standard took a nose-dive while he was gone. The security must be really lax if anyone, namely him, could wander halfway into a restricted area without being waylaid until he's right by the front door. Or maybe because he looked so puny and harmless the guards just let him in figuring the most damage he'd do is the bruising on his own fist if he tried to take out a guard.

Tails bristling, Ed briefly entertained the idea of seeing the guard tied up in thorns in a lewd position. No, he should recover a bit more first, then he'll track all the guards down and give the public a dosage of military naughtiness that's often hidden among the many cloak closets and locked cupboards.

Smirking to himself, Ed walked back to the opened gate, rounded the corner, determined to come back once healed to check out on the top security vaults. He could risk breaking in again tonight, but daylight is only three hours away. Kurama had drilled into him that one could never be too careful. Genkai, while she was alive, had demonstrated that to him, frequently putting extra spices in his food, or putting nails in his shoes to make him more aware of his surroundings. Hiei would delight himself in watching Ed chased by a couple of discretely placed fire wards that when triggered, aim to burn off eyebrows and hair. Being a kitsune, and since all kitsunes are vain, Ed learned that lesson very quickly.

However, whatever training Kurama had drilled into him seemed to have disappeared. Ed hit squarely into a broad something before he realized that a ningen had caught him by surprise.

Which immediately, set off Ed's alarm bells that there's something seriously wrong with him if he couldn't sense such a large, hulking ningen standing in front of him. "Sorry. I was just going…" Ed mumbled, face flushing a deeper red, this time out of embarrassment. Peering through his long bangs, Ed noticed the man definitely outranked him…if he didn't quit under mysterious circumstances.

The man looked to be in his mid-forties. Ed guessed by the insignia the dark-eyed man wore, that he was a Brigadier in rank. His clothes, neatly pressed and creased in all the right places, hid powerful muscles that left no doubt that the man worked his way up the ranks through physical force if necessary.

The man glanced down at Ed, as if vaguely registering that he had knocked down something insignificant, moved silently passed Ed, not stopping or saying anything. Ed watched as the Brigadier he didn't recognize, went out the gate and out of his sight, without once turning back to acknowledge the trespassing stranger.

Ed's eyebrows creased thoughtfully. Why the hell did that man ignore and not tell him off? Perhaps he had overheard the guard earlier, or perhaps he just had a meeting that didn't go well and was off to sulk in moody silence in a quiet corner of a dark bar. Ed couldn't help but feel slightly unsettled over the experience. The man's eyes were hooded, so Ed couldn't really tell if the man actually saw him or not. But it almost seems as though the man looked right _through _him and saw nothing.

That was strange. As far as Ed could recall, military men in the upper level are never this lax, especially when surrounded by back-stabbing allies and crocodile smiles from his colleagues.

The kitsune preceded towards the gate, intending to satisfy the innate curiosity all young cubs and kitsunes have. Unfortunately, Ed was both and often found himself, when survival was not in question, wandering to quench his thirst. Kurama had encouraged his protégé to satisfy his curiosity for it often contained challenges in the stealth department, something that Ed was sorely lacking in his younger years. (He tends to explode at any passing mention of 'short' and 'puny', thus giving his position away fairly quickly.)

But there was no evidence of a hulking, male ningen in the street even with Ed's enhanced sense of sight.

Pausing, Ed stretched his youki senses out, checking the surrounding military complex, and surprised to find that the inside was fairly empty, except for the top floor on the right wing. There were several sentries posted in the garden, some standing still, some patrolling the ground in pairs. Checking the street, Ed could only find several other sentries, standing at their post by the main gate.

Something was wrong here. Perhaps the Brigadier was chatting with lowly cadets and guards. Well, the times certainly have changed. Nobody took Ed seriously, even if he outranked them.

Perhaps it was an age thing…or perhaps…

Ed cursed at himself when realization dawned him and ran down the street heedless of his injuries, hoping to catch his prey before it got too far.

The man had no reiki, which meant by rights he should be a decaying corpse.

Ed should have noticed it when he bumped into the man. Any living person's aura will flare when in close proximity of another living being. This is basically how gut instincts and mind-reading works. One looks at the other person's reiki.

The kitsune hadn't felt anything from the man, which made his hackles raised, leaving Ed to wonder why.

Now that Ed figured that out, abeit a step too late. Ed dashed recklessly down the street, determined not to loose his one link to the escaped youkai and the start of his search for Al.

End Chapter 1.

**TBC…**

* * *

(1)Reiki – If you watched YYH you'd know what this is. If not, it's an aura that every human emits and could be used as a weapon (Yusuke's Rei Gun for example). An aura is like a fingerprint. Everyone has a different set and is difficult to imitate.

(2) Author's note: I'm actually picturing something like Chii from the Chobits, but the side bangs are tied together at the base instead of it being near the head. He also has long hair, like Kurama. I don't want to make Ed too girly but he's a growing boy … er … kitsune.

CC: This is kind of long. It wasn't supposed to be but I couldn't find a good place to cut it up! And I meant to introduce a character from FMA but somehow it got pushed to the next chapter.

About Ed's character, I'll try to keep as much of his original hot-headedness. But since Kurama is his guardian or sorts, Ed would have picked up his more 'pleasant' traits from him. Thus, Edo's character will be able to keep his temper in check ( ie not exploding into a tantrum and threatening bodily mutilation with the slightest jabs to his height). Of course that doesn't mean Ed takes well to insults, he doesn't. But he will be able to keep his temper in check for a few days, deciding which punishment he should bestow his offenders, before acting on it.

Keep in mind Ed's technically a very young adult kitsune. (I'll say 18 in human years…) Therefore, he's still prone to pouting, sulking, occasional slips of mind, tail and ears, devil-may-care attitude, finding delight in humiliating his opponents, and out-cussing said opponents. Personally, I believe all youkai in Makai talks like a sailor on a bad day, since the most effective intimidation could be from words alone.

Thanks for hearing CC rant.

Now** press** the little button down there so CC could hear you **rant, rave, cuss, and criticize**.


	3. Chapter 2

Disclaimers: If I owned FMA, you can be sure Ed and Al are kitsune brothers, Roy is a fire demon, and Hughes is the grim reaper...

Warnings: Minor violence and gore... if feeling nauseous at any time (CC doubts you would be) kindly spew your stomach contents away from any electrical appliances unless you want to see Hughes carting you off to the spirit world.

* * *

**Chapter 2**

Ed pushed his speed a little faster, reaching the human limit, and rounded the street corner. Spotting his prey turning into a dark alley, Ed pushed his speed further, bypassing the human limit and appearing as a blur of gray and gold to the human eye. Feet clad in silk slippers that Kurama had given him, fell silently on the pavement, the kitsune dashed after the man not wanting to lose his sight on him.

Ed didn't really like silk slippers; they wear out too quickly for him. He still liked his old, heavy black boots but they crunched and made about as much noise as a herd of thirsty elephants spotting a nearby waterhole during a summer drought. Silk slippers, though less practical, made little noise and if needed, Ed could go barefoot.

Finally reaching the alley, Ed hurried his way down, leaping over piles of trash, and scaring a cat out from a cardboard box. The cat yowled angrily at Ed, which he ignored, too focused in reaching his goal. The night provided little light for Ed in the alley, but his kitsune eyes solved that problem only to be presented with another.

The man was nowhere to be seen.

Ed had lost him.

Cursing, Ed kicked the cardboard box that was beside him, awakening dust-bunnies and bugs crawling underneath it. The cat hissed at the sight of its wrecked home before disappearing through a broken window of an abandoned apartment.

"Is the little Tentai angry?"

At the sound of the voice, Ed whirled around, golden eyes trying to pinpoint the source. He couldn't feel any reiki coming near him. But that's impossible. Right? Apparently it wasn't.

"Koenma's sending whelps these days? Can't blame him, with the mess he has on his hands right now."

The voice was coming from behind him. Ed spun back around, sharp eyes spotting an odd hunched figure leaning casually on the wall. It chuckled and moved closer to Ed, allowing the kitsune to confirm his suspicion. It was his 'prey' alright. But why did he have no reiki or any other ki for that matter? He moves so he's not dead right?

"Is the little kit confused?" The man drew his head back and laughed, the sound rolling and echoing eerily down the alley. Ed winced unconsciously, wondering if he was dealing with a youkai that fought with sound. But the guy had no ki! Ed's mind screamed back at him. It made no sense. Nothing can be alive without ki. Narrowing his golden eyes in suspicion, Ed glared at the man standing twenty feet away from him, casually taking his hands out from his pocket. "You're a kitsune aren't you? They pay quite a lot for a kitsune slave." A rustle and the sound of a breeze rushing past him, Ed suddenly felt a hand touching his cheek, stroking his face as if he was a precious stone.

Cold sweat trickle down his brow. Despite of the hulking figure, the man moved fast. Possibly faster than Ed's own speed. If the man were holding a weapon, Ed would have been dead.

Was the guy a fire demon then? But...

"Still a kit." The man chuckled behind him, his callused hands stroking Ed's cheek. "I'll leave you be…for now. Pass a message to Koenma for me."

Ed snarled, hands bundled into a fist, fingernails lengthening to tear at the man's throat. Flipping his other hand over, the man easily caught Ed's slender wrist. "Tell Koenma, Ankuro sends his regards." With a twist and sickening crack, the man deftly twisted Ed's left wrist into an unnatural angle. Ed gasped, eyes watering a little from the pain, but he still managed to land a hit to the strange man's stomach with his good fist. Grip loosened, Ed scrambled from his attacker's hold to stand a couple feet away, eyeing the man and nursing another broken bone. That makes how many four now...damn him.

"And one more thing…tell the Furer that I'm sorry I couldn't attend his 'tea-party' this weekend." The man sneered at the cowering figure glaring at him. Ed snarled showing his sharp incisors, putting on a defensive stance, waiting for the man to strike. Despite of his earlier bravado, he admitted that in his current state he was no match for the stranger as the man's ki suddenly flared out.

So he is alive after all. Ed gritted his teeth, wondering whether he should retreat for now and kill this nuisance when he recovered. As always, his pride won over his survival instinct. Ed dug his feet onto the ground to brace himself.

The darkened alley brightened as the man's ki continued to flow around him, whipping up dirt and trash and tossing them into the air, dancing in a miniature whirlwind.

He felt his heart sink, recognizing the beginnings of something that looks Yusuke's transformation to his demonic form. He still hadn't seen Al and now he's going back to reiki as a spirit! Ed gritted his teeth with determination, his good hand inching towards his sweeping front bangs where the demonic seeds were kept.

But as suddenly as it started, the outburst of ki vanished, leaving some pieces of trash dangling in mid-air to fall. Behind him, the kitsune heard the yowling of that same stray cat as it suddenly fell out of the sky. Ed blinked, adjusting his eyes to the sudden darkness of the street.

The man lay crumbled on the ground, arms and legs askew. The neatly pressed military coat was in tatters, just like the cardboard box that had been beside Ed.

Is he dead or unconscious? Or just feigning sleep?

The same man, that could have killed him without giving Ed enough time to pull out his poisoned thorns or dagger, lay on the ground in repose.

What the hell just happened!

Ed grabbed a piece of trash and threw it onto the man's head. There was an empty 'thunk' as the can made its target and bounced off.

The man didn't move.

Now that Ed is quite sure the man is dead or unconscious. No military man with pride could stand being thrown trash at. At least Ed wouldn't. He took a few tentative steps closer. Still no movement. Feeling braver, Ed judged his distance and kicked hard at the man's head.

It _rolled off._

Ed gaped. What the –

"What's going on here?" A group of blue-clad officers ran down the alley. They had discovered a suspicious source of light and having nothing better to do, decided to find out the source. Upon reaching the scene, several officers gagged at the sight while several pounced onto the stunned blonde beside the beheaded person. It was obvious who the culprit was, with his foot still in the air where the head should have been.

CCCCCCCCCCCCCC

The kitsune found himself tossed into an interrogation room. Blank white, dented walls with wooden desk in the middle and three chairs, a typical human interrogation room. Ed sighed with relief, sat down on the nearest uncomfortable chair and nursed his recent battle wound. In Makai, interrogation took place in a dungeon with whips, chains and burly, blood-thirsty youkai.

Ed was very familiar with the interrogation process. Yusuke and him were Koenma's favorite interrogation team, mainly because they were ruthless. Kurama was a tad bit too soft-hearted, and Hiei wanted to see blood no matter what happens. Kuwabara did not have enough brain cells. So that left Yusuke, who was there because he had raw power that frightened weaker demons, and Ed, who had the blackmail material and the patience of a two-year old human child.

But since this was a role-reversal, so Ed wasn't quite sure how to proceed.

The door swung opened as two military men shuffled in, looking sleepily disgruntled being awake at 2 in the morning, but alert. Ed kept his eyes down on the table measuring the amount of ki outside before deciding that it wouldn't be wise to break out just yet.

There was a soft thud on the table as a cream-colored folder landed on the table. Hands lazily opened and scattered the papers messily around the table. "What's your name?"

Ed shifted into a more comfortable position by crossing his arms, trying to hide his broken wrist. "Edo." He drawled out, looking up into the eyes of two unsmiling blond-haired man. One of them let out a soft gasp of surprise, brown eyes widening slightly. The other officer quickly kicked his companion, silently rebuking him.

"Edo what?" The brown-eyed officer asked quickly, ignoring the frown on his friend's face.

"Edo Minamino." An alias that Ed had picked and used earlier in the seedy inn he was staying in. If the military bothered looking it up, Ed was sure the barkeeper would be on his side. He had paid him enough gold for that.

"Oh." The brown-eyed man looked disappointed but tried not to reveal it. "Erm…sorry about this mess. Let's get started then."

The kitsune noted the oddness of this man. He seemed tookind-hearted to be doing this type of work. Maybe that's why, Ed returned the glare of the other officer, this one seemed almost protective of the other. Or maybe it was because the brown-eyed one is inexperienced with this sort of thing. He couldn't be more than twenty-one years old. And he looked familiar…somehow. Ed frowned a little.

The older blonde's blue eyes hardened as amber eyes gazed back into his own. There was almost something familiar and strange in those eyes. Amber eyes are rare, but this kid's eyes aren't just amber, they seemed to glow. Like a cat. "What were you doing in the alley?" Make it a stray distrustful cat eyeing the offered fish with disdain.

The man's voice was soft but had a cold edge to it that sliced into your thoughts like a knife. Ed liked it, and hated it at the same time. It had the same tone as Kurama had when Ed did something really bad, like accidentally leaving a death tree seed in the middle of Tokyo zoo. He really had no idea what it was doing in his pocket. "I was … taking a walk. I couldn't sleep." Ed finished lamely, cursing himself for not thinking out before speaking.

"Why were you with the victim? Did you know him?" The younger blonde spoke up. His voice, Ed decided, he liked. It had a soft, caring quality, though in this case it came out a little naïve, which added to the purity of this person. Looking up, Ed found the blonde looking at him with an earnest expression on his face. Ed immediately decided he liked the younger blond a lot better than his partner.

"No. I thought he was suspicious so I followed him." That was true. Ed gave himself a pat on the back.

"What do you mean by suspicious?" The younger one pressed on eagerly, it seemed as though he was determined to prove something.

"He was walking oddly then started running. Maybe he sensed me behind him so he ran. Just cried out to my instincts so I followed him."

"So you don't know who he is and you just decided to follow him." The older officer sounded a little bemused.

Ed shrugged. "I didn't know who he is but he looked like he was out to do something bad, you know."

"Even though he's wearing a military uniform and looked every inch like Brigadier Watkins."

Shrugging a little, trying to appear nonchalant and innocent, Ed spoke, making sure he kept his voice steady with a touch of hesitation. "I'm not really into politics or the military. I didn't know who he was until you told me. He just seemed suspicious, like he's off to rob someone so I followed. I don't judge people by their appearances, but by their actions." Ed filed the name away for later use in the library or in the military complex.

The younger man beamed, the tense atmosphere dispersing quickly, making Ed unconsciously smile along with him. "Good! That means he's innocent right? And you got to admit, Brigadier Watkins doesn't look like the friendliest officer in town." The older officer grunted, ignoring the younger's salutation.

"Well, we'll just have to ask you a few more questions before you can go. Did you talk to him?"

It wouldn't do much good but cause more confusion if Koenma and spirit world was mentioned. Deciding to spare them a headache, Ed gave them the illustrated version. "Sort of. He told me to die and I told him hell no."

"That's it? There were mentions of a strange light coming from your area. Do you know anything about that?"

"No. It was weird. He glowed like light bulb after he hit me."

"You were in a fight?" The younger officer leaned forward suddenly, eyes widening when he saw Ed's scratches and bruises, mostly left over from his last fight in Makai. "You're hurt!"

Ed waved it off, using his good hand. "It's nothing much. But the light, that's from Brigadier what's-iz-name. It was too bright for me to see properly."

"Did anything…unusual happen after the light?"

"He fell apart. Then you guys came and I got sent here."

The older officer scribbled some notes on the margin of a sheet of paper. "You can go then. Leave your address and phone number on the front desk. We'll be contacting you if something comes up."

Ed was surprised at the sudden dismissal, and the lack of punches, kicks and noise that usually accompanied him and Yusuke. He stood up stiffly from his chair but the younger officer pulled him back. Concerned brown eyes gazed down at Ed then turned to the broken wrist.

"You're hurt. Let's fix this up before you leave Edo." He smiled gently at the kitsune who stared back wondering why this unexpected warmth coming from this heart felt so familiar.

"Let him go Alphonse. He can find the way to the hospital himself." The older officer started picking up the papers, putting them back in order. His eyebrows crinkled with permanent frustration. Which was why he missed the look of shock on Ed's face.

"But-" Alphonse had his face turned to his partner, wondering what had made him so cold and callus this time. His partner usually has a soft spot for kids, but it seemed to have disappeared somehow when confronted with Edo. Or maybe it was because Edo was a teenager, past the cute, button-nosed, wide-eyed stage. "He's hurt! It'll just take a minute. I'll be back later." Placing his warm hands on Ed's shoulders, Alphonse guided the kitsune out of the interrogation, leaving his grumbling superior behind with the paperwork.

"Sorry about that. Russ is probably feeling stressed. The higher-ups want to figure out the problem quicker but we just don't seem to have the resources, or enough leads. I'll bring the paper work with us. Let's go to the hospital first." Waving goodbye to the front desk, Alphonse lead an unresisting Ed back into the street. "It's not very far from here. Can you walk? If you can't I'll carry you."

Still in stupor, Ed shook his head trying to clear the cobwebs. He had just found his brother! Though Al didn't recognize him, possibly because he looked so different. Heck, two hundred years is definately long enough to change anybody. Suddenly, everything seemed a lot less significant. Youkai, Koenma, Makai, flew completely out of Ed's mind as he concentrated on keeping his elation to the minimal so he wouldn't scare poor Al away from jumping and hugging him to death. The shock would kill him, if Al managed to survive Ed's strangling embrace.

"No problem."

Ed gave a yelp as Al suddenly placed his arms around him. So Al did recognize him! How could he have not? Al was his brother, so he must have got the smarts from somewhere. Ed reached up and hugged his not-so-little brother. "Al, I – ep!" Alphonse swept him off his feet, literally, carrying Ed in a bridal style with Ed's arms unabashedly hanging around his neck.

"What are you doing?" Ed spluttered, turning red.

"You said you can't walk. You're so light!" Al smiled good-naturedly at the blushing kid in his arms. He couldn't help but chuckle as the red face pouted and grumbled.

Al's embrace was warm, covering him like a huge down comforter.

Ed snuggled a little closer.

It felt like home.

He hadn't felt that in years.

Ed smiled a little, head turned so Al couldn't see his face. Perhaps Al didn't recognize him afterall. He didn't react the way Ed imagined Al would. A glint of sadness reflected in Ed's eyes and he tightened his hold around his brother's neck.

It doesn't really matter either way.

As long as he was with his brother, everything would be all right.

**TBC**

* * *

CC: Stopped because there's no cliffhanger. Ain't you glad?

So Alphonse finally appears. And Russ is Russell Tringham, Al just calls him that because they're close. Neither of them remembers Ed because it's been a while since they saw each other.

For those wondering where Roy is…I have no idea…


	4. Chapter 3

Author's note: In reference to … some of your fears, there will be no Elric-cest. gets clonked with rotten fruits from Elric-cest fans Sorry! Al is merely being friendly because he's that kind of guy.

Warnings: Same as before. Not much on shounen-ai though.

Gomen!

**Chapter 3**

If Ed was in his kitsune form, he would have purred, since all that was on his mind was Al. Al's warm voice telling him that they'd get there soon. Al's warm voice asking him whether his wrist hurt.

Just like the caring Al he had once known. It's good to know Al's personality was still the same after all these years.

Ed's mind wandered back to those days in that one-tracked determination normally associated when training or researching. As it was, he didn't notice where they were heading until Al stepped into the brilliantly lit, sterilized hospital.

If Ed was in his kitsune form, he would have yowled, bit, clawed and tore off into the night before you could say 'Colonel Bastard.'

But he couldn't.

So Ed settled to a tantrum, though if you had asked him, he would have replied it was a loud discussion not an argument and definitely not a tantrum. He was simply screaming how bringing him, Ed, into the emergency ward for a full-body check-up is hardly necessary. He wasn't hurt! Not that much…

"But…Edo! You're hurt! Please just let they doctor look at you." Al pleaded to the golden kitsune hugging one of the supporting pillars outside the hospital doors. For a person with a broken wrist, Ed was amazing resilient to any tugging and dragging. For a person, or a youkai, Ed was acting more like a koala than anything humanized.

"Nooooo!" Ed howled, shaking his head. He was acting like a kitsune kit but he didn't give a damn. Hiei and Yususke weren't there to laugh at him. Kurama wasn't here to scold him for embarrassing all kitsune with his behavior. Koenma wasn't there to tell him that he could bawl louder than him any given day. And Botan wasn't there to give him the hug-o-death.

"Come on Edo. It's going to hurt a lot more if you leave it." Al's brown eyes pleaded into Ed's amber, feral ones. For a moment, the glare softened before Ed shook himself out of Al's temporary-induced hypnotism. It's annoying that your younger brother looks so much like mother with those pleading eyes.

"No! It's not! Not going! Can't make me!" Ed attempted to climb higher on the pillar.

"Let go of the pillar Edo. Your wrist will get worse if you cling onto it like that!"

"NOOOOO!"

It took a while but Ed won, barely, but only because the head nurse kicked them out for waking up half the patients at 3am.

_---G-O-L-D-E-N --- K-I-T-S-U-N-E---_

Five minutes later, Al had suggested the other to bandage his wounds in his house. Ed agreed quickly, curious to see what conditions his younger brother lived in and whether it was as spotless Kurama's den or a pig-sty like Yusuke's.

But there was something wrong that night, when they rounded the corner near Al's street.

The sky was on fire. And it wasn't evening.

Ed cocked his head and sniffed the air tentatively, his sensitive nose picking up the faint smell of smoke, dust and burning wood. This doesn't bode well.

"Al. Is your house over there?" Ed turned his head to the side so he could look at Al in the eyes. They were the same as he remembered them. So much like mother's. Why couldn't his eyes be like Al's instead of that bastard of a father?

Al nodded worriedly. Ed slid to the ground elegantly; Al had been carrying him before, allowing his brother to rush forward to find his street, and his house, merrily ablaze with swarming military personnel and firemen trying to put it out.

It took a few pats on the head before Al calmed down enough to start looking for the person in charge. It was an age-old method garnered through experience when Ed calmed a younger Al during thunderstorms and bloody knees. A few pats on the head conducted in a pattern of three short pats and three long rubs, followed by the infamous Elric smirk and a taunt.

It worked. Al had been too distraught to notice the familiarity as he nodded his thanks and rushed to help drawn alchemic circles of water. A few minutes later, the blaze was under control. Ed sighed, both from the tension and stink of smoke and ash that masked over everything. All around lay rubbles of bricks, stones, burnt wood, hurrying uniformed people and crying children.

Families clung to each other, reassuring themselves that they were alive. Children screamed from burns, scratches and terror in unison, causing much of the panic from parents. Al's tall figure moved easily among the crowds, making sure that everyone he knew or acquainted was fine, making sure no pets were left unsaved, especially cats. Ed smiled at the sight of a couple kids clinging to Al's legs, eyes bright and shouting above the din exactly what happened in too many made-up words. It seemed that Al's popular wherever he went, Ed mused.

Ed wanted to join the action too. He was quite sure he still had those burn-soothing aloe seeds hidden away somewhere. He took a step towards his brother and immediately caught the attention of a medic.

The medic gave Ed a stern look and ushered him onto a bench, exclaiming about burns, scars and blood. Ed protested to deaf ears for a few moments then gritted his mouth shut as the medic unrelentingly poured alcohol on every small scratch with practiced ease. After that came the bandaging and the discovery of a fractured wrist, which took even less time to bandage and a sling placed around his shoulders for support.

Ed admired the efficiency of the job, considering there was no alchemy involved, and thanked the medic, who immediately blushed. Humans are such passionate creatures, and to think that Ed used to be one long ago. Was he that passionate too? He didn't think so.

Well, he wasn't on Koenma's interrogation squad for doing nothing. "Do you know what really happened here?" He cocked his head in an inquisitive angle for a better effect.

The medic shrugged. "From what I heard, a fire broke out in the basement of a house. It burned quickly and quickly spread down the street from the strong winds. Don't worry though," he quickly added, feeling Ed's concern. "The military says their alchemists will repair the houses."

"The military?" It was odd that certified military alchemists actually had free time to do repairs around the city. These minor problems were usually left for amateur alchemists hired cheaply to do the bulk of the jobs and artisans and laborers to do the details.

"Yes. Probably something about the strange fire that broke out first. It was black."

"Thanks." Ed stood up, signaling the end of the short conversation and eyed a crying girl with a bad burn on her arm standing by the bench. The medic rushed out o fix her up and Ed left quickly to find his younger brother.

As it was, it was all Ed could do at the moment. If he still had his alchemy, he would have volunteered to help rebuild the street, and gather information that way. If he had enough youki to divert from his healing process, he could have volunteered to fix the gardens, but that would look odd without the necessary equivalent exchange nonsense.

He would have to look for answers elsewhere.

He had been around Hiei too long not to know that black fire is a sure sign of a fire demon.

He needed to find Al fast. If the other youkai caught his scent from Al, then…Ed didn't want to think about what could happen. Being on Koenma's tantei meant he had a lot of enemies.

Ed sprang lightly over smoldering piles of rubble and headed to the noisiest, most crowded area.

Sure enough, Al, being the kind person he was, was in the middle of fray of children, who were clapping their hands with amazement as the tall blond repaired their favourite toys.

Probably the only happy place amidst the panicking and the screaming.

"Shouldn't you be helping out there?" Ed nudged his brother softly, lifting an elegant eyebrow towards the adults weeping over the loss of their property. Some were trying to lunge their way back to their homes to see what they could save, only to be halted by the military's strict orders and threats.

Al sighed, running his hand through his sooty hair and stood up slowly. It was then Ed noticed the gaunt expression and the dark circles around the hazel eyes. How could he not notice Al's exhaustion? He really was a bad older brother…first, losing Al's body, then trapping his soul in a piece of hulking, ugly armor, then dragging him around the country looking for a cure, only to leave him alone, friendless, brotherless, when Ed finally succeeded.

"You can stay in my place." Ed lifted his hand to rest upon Al's shoulder and gave it a comforting pat. He'll make it up to Al, against all odds, legal procedures, stacks of paperwork and a pissed off Koenma Jr.

"Come on. Rest a little then come back. You can't perform alchemy if you're going to keel over any minute. Something might go wrong."

That seemed to strike a cord in Al, his round eyes grew a little bigger and Ed though he saw regret and guilt for a instant before it was gone. Well, maybe he shouldn't have mentioned that considering what happened many, many years ago.

"You're right. Thanks Edo-kun. But I could just grab a room in the hotel, or stay with Russ. I don't want to impose –"

Russ? Al's going to Russ? No way was Ed going to let his little brother out of his sight! Especially with that arrogant blond!

"You're coming with me!" Ed announced and quickly turned heel before Al could protest. Must get Al away from nasty, bad-tempered blond. Must get Al away from nasty, bad-tempered, possibly fire youkai.

"Edo! Wait! It's –" Al tripped over a pile of concrete, caught himself before he fell scraping his hand over rusted wire. He winced at the trickle of blood and pain, wondering what it had been like when he was had his armored body immune to all pain. He must have been unstoppable then!

Except he couldn't remember what it was like. Al stopped, staring as though mesmerized by the crimson droplets, saddened at the pain.

He couldn't remember.

Not a single memory.

Not a single memory from the six year gap of being armor.

Not a single memory of his brother – the infamous Fullmetal.

Not a single memory of the war that raged and calmed.

Not a single memory of his brother's older face except from the few photos Hughes-san, a man he couldn't remember, had taken.

"Al!" The blond man looked up to see an angry, glaring teenager amongst a swarm of nosy neighbours. His hand was on his waist, somewhat reminiscent of his mother on a bad day. Edo's gray beret lowered, shielding the wearer from the falling soot and ash, but not hiding the blazing amber pools that glowered almost unnaturally.

"I'll patch you up at my place. The medicine you have here is quite ineffective and frankly outdated." A medic nearby looked indignant at the Ed's scathing words. "Come on Al!"

The kitsune turned and walked calmly out the taped zone. His small frame gave him an advantage to slip inbetween cracks of the wall of do-gooders and nosy housewives. Al shook himself out of his daze and hurried after the disappearing figure. The crowd swallowed Edo entirely, if it wasn't for the gray beret and flashes of golden hair, it could almost be impossible to follow. The man pushed himself into the crowd, his tall frame made it easier to peer over heads and find the golden and grey blur darting expertly like a thief.

The situation seemed vaguely familiar. It had happened before, but Al couldn't remember when or where. What he could remember was how he panicked about being left behind and hurting nearby people as he chased after a yellow antenna inbetween bouts of calling out someone's name and constant apologizing as he stepped on toes.

The memory was gone in a flash. Al shook his head and followed. It wasn't like he could leave the witness alone if the serial murderer came after him. It wouldn't be safe for the young kid. Especially one that insulted the murderer. The man heaved a sigh and breathed in fresh air when he finally squeezed out from the mob. He'd have to protect the kid. So far, not a single witness had been left alive after their ordeal with a headless corpse. Not a single one.

_---G-O-L-D-E-N --- K-I-T-S-U-N-E---_

**TBC**

A/N: I confess I wasn't supposed to stop here but I had to cut an entire scene out since the plot seemed to change itself during the 'let's type the darn thing up' process. I hope you all know your YYH well enough so I don't have to explain who's who, at least when it comes to major characters in that series.

As to Ed's outburst in the beginning chapter, well, let's just say we're all prone to silly outbursts from time to time. As mentioned before in some other chapter, Ed's just got his second tail, meaning he's a very, very young adult kitsune, thus could be excused from having sudden childish tantrums. Added to that, Kurama and Botan completely spoiled him, and tantrums, in the younger days, always got him what he wanted, because of Kurama's sensitive eardrums and Botan's weakness for tears.

Lucky chibi-kitsune, wish someone could spoil me once in a while.

No cliffies…ain't you glad?


	5. Chapter 4

Sorry for the late _late_ update.

Please blame them on my fading muses and unwieldy fingers (and the fact that CC was currently addicted to PoT!)

* * *

**Chapter 4**

Ed managed to secure the room next to him for his not-so-little brother.

Much as he wanted to stare at his brother all day, trying to gauge the differences and wondering whether he'd grow up to be as tall as Al, it was too much of a risk and nuisance. He didn't want to risk Al being attacked by some miscellaneous, weak, lower demons who thought they could gain an upper hand advantage if they attacked during the night, thereby proving themselves dumber than dumb since foxes are nocturnal. It was also a nuisance because Ed had no doubt that the jeering ningens downstairs would be all too willing to throw themselves at Al and him after their supposed night tryst in Ed's bedroom.

Ed didn't want to trouble Al, so he squashed down his urge to stare all night as his brother's sleeping face and opted for the 'next door' option.

At the very least, Ed would be able to hear if anyone sneaked into Al's room.

That just goes to show that sometimes even the most cautious, paranoid demon could be wrong.

Ed spent the whole night wide-awake, listening to see if any youkai (or perverts) dared enter Al's room. None did. And they should be thankful.

Hell have no fury like a pissed, older brother.

Hell also have no fury like a sleep-deprived, nocturnal kitsune in the morning.

Unfortunately, Ed was just that the next morning. Despite of the quick bath he'd taken to freshen up, the bags under his eyes threatened to smack his head on the dirty bar's table and start snoring.

That was what Al found when he finally woke up and crawled down to look for breakfast and a certain missing golden-haired teenager. The bar in the morning wasn't nearly as full as it was when Ed came back with him in toll. There were still a few sly-looking loiterers, grubby looking men flashing gold teeth and fake silver at them. Al couldn't help but feel a little discomforted by all the attention.

All the attention directed to a happily, oblivious, sleepy teenager, who was in danger of wearing his breakfast.

Some unspeakable force, that Al later decided was protectiveness and definitely NOT infatuation, lead the tall man to force his way towards the smaller blond, gently push the grubby, dirty old man to the next seat over and claim the only seat next to the dozing blond. He poked the shorter blond carefully.

"Morning Edo."

Ed fell out of his light doze and greeted Al excitedly. "Al! Morning!" Al blinked at the suddenness alertness of the one next to him. "Oi! One more breakfast special here!" The last part was directed at the bar owner. The seedy man growled some reply, stalked off into the kitchen and proceeded to make Al even more uncomfortable by delivering a 'special' which was easily the biggest breakfast he'd ever seen. That included breakfast at Winry's and those were _big_ breakfasts made for three people.

Al faintly wondered if the small teenager had eaten the same thing while he was waiting for him.

"Eat up Al! Finish it all." Ed pushed a fork and spoon in his brother's direction. "And don't leave the table until everything is cleared. Oh…and drink this too." Ed shoved his mug of milk towards his brother. After all those years, the kitsune still couldn't stand drinking something excreted like _that_ from any animal.

The taller blond obediently took the mug and drained it before realizing that he was obeying someone he had meet less than 8 hours ago. It feels natural being so unnaturally trusting. Completely confused, Al placed the mug down and began poking at his fried eggs on toast.

"If you don't want it, I'll eat it for you." A pale hand reached out for a strip of bacon. Al smacked away on reflex, then felt completely ashamed.

"S-sorry." Al flushed as his voice stuttered and broke. He hit a _child_. A defenseless child who bought him breakfast and he had _hit_ him. Was he a child-abuser?

Ed chuckled. Even if Al didn't recognize him, it felt good to be treated as family again.

_-G-O-L-D-E-N-K-I-T-S-U-N-E-_

"I'm going with you." Ed told him in an impassive tone, as though his statement didn't mean immediate imprisonment from the military.

Al, who was in a post-breakfast food coma, was quickly shocked back into reality. "Y-yo – Edo!" Al stuttered. "You can't just go into the Central's headquarters without a pass! Even if you are with me. Civilians are not allowed inside. You have to wait for me outside. There's a nice café down the street…" Al's voice faded off as he realized that the last thing both of them need was more food. It was a miracle he could still move after the breakfast special.

Edo's amber eyes glowed with determination. "I'm not leaving you behind." He stated.

The blond man sighed, somehow this stubbornness and disregard to rules felt very familiar but he couldn't seem to place a finger on it. What was the teenager going on about not 'leaving him behind?' Shouldn't it be the other way around?

"Edo – it's just a meeting with the Lieutenant Colonel and Russ. It's not going to take too long, but it's definitely longer than waiting for you to get a pass." A pass took 3-4 days to process since the military personnel had to run a background and security check and validate that the person has a valid excuse to go there. Edo has no valid reason to go there, other than accompany him. Al doubted anyone would give him a pass even if Edo did look harmless.

But that serial killer might be after Edo. The teen wouldn't be safe if nobody was watching over him. But then again, Edo couldn't go into the headquarters with him…it's just not standard procedure! Even Fletcher needs a pass to visit his brother!

There was a bit more muted grumbling from the smaller blond before Ed finally conceded. "Fine. You go ahead and I'll wait for you out here." Ed grouched, lips turned down in a familiar pout.

Al smiled back happily at him before he caught himself. Why was he feeling so elated that he turned down a child? Why was he feeling so happy he _hurt _the child? He briefly wondered what was wrong with him today – for a usually nice, polite young man turning into a child-abuser. Perhaps it was the breakfast special that caused all logic to fly out of the window when it concerned the happy-go-lucky, and not-so-lucky, young witness striding next to him.

"I won't be long." Al smiled, patting the smaller blond on the shoulder before he walked through the front gates of Central's military headquarters.

The kitsune watched and waved until Al disappeared from view. It was a minor setback not being able to follow Al into the headquarters. Back in those days, Al could just wait in the corridor or waltz into the military library and nobody batted an eyelid.

Ed heaved a sigh and headed towards Central's library. He had predicted the outcome correctly. Kurama's strategy lessons are quite handy and very memorable in a way that a mistake is often deadly or completely humiliating. Kurama called it 'practical experience'; Hiei called it 'kitten training'; Yusuke called it 'bonding time.' (ie. from James Bond - from the way Kurama had set up the obstacle course, you need James Bond abilities and more to complete. Yusuke made horrible puns sometimes.)

Practical experience paid off.

Ed was glad his brother was not allergic to the poison ivy seed he'd planted during breakfast.

-G-O-L-D-E-N-K-I-T-S-U-N-E-

Security could be a lot better in Ed's opinion. The Central library, accessible only for military personnel, was as easy to break into as a 2nd hand thrift store on the verge of bankruptcy. The guards were busy comparing self-images and girlfriends a few feet away from the main doors of the library. There were nobody and nothing worth noting in the back, which made it easy for Ed to slip past the unlocked backdoor.

In fact, it was too easy, which made Ed's skin prickle. (Kurama tended to save the 'highlights' of a mock break-in at the end. The ease to obtain the goal is directly disproportional to the ease of getting out. Hiei also liked to take part in the 'highlights' by flinging fireballs at him. On the good days, Ed could emerge only slightly roasted with the remainder of his clothes covering him indecently, and the 'objective' relatively intact but very scratched.)

Ed silently toed the door closed and moved soundlessly, thankful, once more, for wearing silk shoes. The wooden floor was polished, obviously the architects hadn't learned from the past. This type of wood was particularly flammable, Ed mused.

It was more organized than Reikai's ever-expanding library. Directions were clearly written in large, gaudy signs with florid script. They proudly proclaimed that the first floor contained books accessible to all officers, which included basic law books, history books, strategy books etc. The second floor, where the kitsune was headed, is the restricted information about alchemy, forbidden research papers and military personnel. Each section was located in a different wing with large locked wooden doors to prevent nosy busy-bodies.

Ed didn't meet with anyone inside the library, which wasn't that odd. In the past, people rarely went there without a purpose, which made for a quick visit. Ed doubted it changed that much. He waited outside the West Wing on the second floor, listening for any human breathing. There was none.

Ed smirked, unpicked the lock with a cacti needle and went in.

"Oh. It's a kit. How disappointing."

Ed cursed to himself under his breath. How could he forget about checking for youki? Maybe his lack of sleep was finally catching up with him. He turned slowly to greet the intruder, using time to pull himself out of shock.

"Sorry to disappoint. Koenma knew that low-class youkai rarely needs attention from spirit detectives, since they conveniently kill themselves anyway." Ed eyed his opponent readily. The youkai looked to be a lower B-class, and some mix of a fire demon. It had gravity-defying dark hair like Hiei, though much taller and muscular, with one less eye. Hiei was decidedly more handsome than this smirking fire youkai in front of him. At least Hiei's face looked symmetrical, even with the odd eyeball. This one had 5 horns sticking out of his head in an erratic fashion.

The youkai carelessly flung a fireball behind him. Ed tried not to gasp as the culprit from last night's fire loftily gave evidence for his trial and prosecution. Dark flames spread rapidly, more so than the commonly known orange flames, for black flames do not require oxygen to burn. It only requires the will and youki, which was what made it so difficult to put out.

He's definitely a fire youkai like Hiei.

"Tell Koenma to send his dogs – not a stupid pup next time."

Ed's temper rose with the flames surrounding him. "Who are YOU calling useless, piddling puppy who cowers from hamsters?!" He roared, stepping right into the middle of the room to give the fire youkai a taste of his leaf blade and poison needles. Adrenaline eradicating pain from unhealed wounds in previous fights.

Another dark fireball was tossed towards the kitsune. Ed stepped aside quickly, easily evading it. "You're…an amusing pup." The fire youkai snorted with a hint of laughter. Obviously, he had been aiming to miss, like Ed wasn't even worth his dirtying his hands. "I've never seen someone insult themselves that way before." He leaned to the side, avoiding Ed's vicious kick to his head and caught Ed's other flying foot with his right hand. A quick twist of wrist sent Ed flying in the air.

The kitsune landed painfully onto a smoldering pile of bookshelves. Ed jumped up immediately to avoid his tail from singeing. Hissing a little as he felt his half-mended ribs fracture again.

"Respect your elders, puppy." The fire youkai gave a shout, Ed guessed only for effect since Hiei didn't need to make any sound when he calls upon his ultimate technique. Dark flames spewed out all around the kitsune, books burst into darkened cinders, doors melted, walls scorched thinner and thinner until it finally crumbled. The expensive carpet burst Ed stood on couldn't take the heat either and erupted into flames.

Ed let out an undignified yelp and jumped backwards, ignoring the sharp sting from his chest and left ankle as he landed oddly. He'd have to save a little youki for pain-numbing plants for later, much later. Dashing around throwing punches and kicks wasn't going to work, the fire youkai has an advantage in speed. The kitsune would have to use strategy and plants – his last resort since his youki hasn't recovered from his last ordeal.

Black flames melted glass windows into hot goop. The fire youkai laughed. "Stupid pup. You think you can stop me? You're a few hundred years too early."

"I'm NOT a dog!" Being called likened to dogs – kitsunes' eternally; warring specie rubbed Ed the wrong way. "Damn it! I'm not a DOG!" Ed pulled out his cacti needles from his hair-ties and threw them. Flaming fists deflected them accompanied with a smirk.

"Not a dog. A puppy. A brainless, drooling puppy." The youkai vanished from sight, reappearing behind and gave the kitsune a high kick. The burnt wooden door gave way as Ed crashed right through, sailing past the railings. Ed reflexively drew his poison ivy whip and swung it back towards the fire youkai. If he's going down, Ed would make sure that the other would follow.

The kitsune flipped gracefully over a bookshelf onto the polished wooden floor, careful to land on his good ankle, then twisted his wrist. Above him, the fire demon fell, cursing to the ground, setting alight Ed's whip and several bookshelves. Ed shrunk his whip back to seed form, its job finished. If he was lucky, the fire youkai would get a poison ivy rash that wouldn't disappear for a few weeks.

Ed went on defensive as the angry fire youkai blasted fireball after fireball. The kitsune nimbly leapt from bookcase to bookcase, setting a trail of fire after him, also inadvertently setting ablaze his trail to find out about Brigadier Watsons. Kurama wasn't there to call him careless, so Ed focused on getting away.

He couldn't help but find it quite amusing that this would be the second time he's involved with torching libraries.

"What are you laughing at, puppy?!" Ed felt the back of his coat hiss with smoke. Spinning around he used his good foot to kick a heavy armchair towards the fire youkai. Ed grinned as the youkai jumped. He fed his youki into the seeds he had planted earlier on the armchair. Bamboo shot up from the ground, nicking the fire youkai on his left arm and ear.

"At how slow you are. You really should invest in some brains." Ed taunted, flicking his poison ivy whip into position. He slashed downward, adding youki to his attack to grow the plant just as the youkai jumped backwards, falling into Ed's trap.

During that few seconds of encounter, Ed had feed his youki into the bamboo. As the fire youkai leapt, bamboo blasted upwards, impaling the youkai right through his right shoulder. Ed tried not to gloat but didn't succeed. It wasn't often Ed used a planned strategy that actually worked. (Having Kurama as his strategy mentor really puts a damper in Ed's self-esteem.)

"Not bad for a pup." The fire youkai spat out blood and grinned. "If you come back with me, I can give you more power." His left hand rose and touched the impaled plant. The bamboo disintegrated in a cloud of ashes.

More bamboo erupted from the floorboards. The fire youkai took a step forward and vanished, reappearing behind Ed to punch him in the back.

Ed crashed into a side table by a window, breaking a cheap imitation of a vase. He winced as he felt his coat burn a flame-fist sized hole. Yusuke wouldn't be happy to know that his birthday present was ruined.

His ears perked up at the sound of alchemic transmutation taking place and panicked shouts coming from the window. The military must have arrived to put out the fire, which obviously didn't work. More shouting ensured, then a heavy thundering of human feet that came closer and closer to the main door. Front-line military officers really aren't that bright if they were going to storm the place to save any books that weren't burnt.

"Stupid ningens." A burst of dark flames hit the ceiling. There was an agonizing few seconds as the rafters creaked and groaned but seemed to hold on its own. The fire youkai, clutching his right shoulder, vanished onto the burning the rafters. With a smirk, he stomped hard onto the wooden rafter and escaped through the roof.

Ed watched in slow motion, as the ceiling gave in, and the rafter broke into two, just as the main door burst open and first blue-uniformed officer stampeded into the blazing library.

Perhaps ningens are stupid afterall. Ed thought, with the exception of his brother. Al's got to get his good genes from somewhere.

"Run, you idiot!" The kitsune scrambled to his feet, wincing a little as he set his weight on his twisted ankle. He'd have to deal with that later. Mustering the last dredges of his youki, Ed sprinted across the floorboards in youkai speed. Nobody noticed him until a golden and gray blur knocked over two shocked officers arcing past the main door, above stunned officers who stood in the doorway, and landed with a thump at the bottom of the stairs.

He was glad that he had two idiots cushioning his fall. Behind him, the library collapsed in a final cry of raining ash and splinters. Followed shortly by gasps, cries and coughs, from officers standing too close to the blazing inferno.

"Edo!"

Ed could recognize Al's voice anywhere. Sure enough not a moment later, Al pushed himself through, past scowling majors and lieutenants, concern pouring in waves over a singed looking teenager, sitting on two men.

Brown eyes widened at the smaller blond's condition. "Are you okay?" Seeing the burnt hole at the back of Ed's coat, Al immediately entered into a motherly mood. "You're burned badly! I'm taking you to the hospital! Can you move? Does it hurt?" Al's hands wring desperately as if he's feeling the burns more than Ed.

Warmth spread inside Ed. Seeing his little brother worried over him, and only him (Al seemed to have forgotten the 2 squashed officers he was still sitting on) felt good. Amber eyes brightened, sleepiness, weariness and pain gone; the kitsune gave his brother a dazzling smile.

"I'm fine Al. I'll fix everything up later."

"You're going to the hospital! Don't be stubborn!"

"I'm fine Al! Stop being a fuss-button!" Ed attempted to get off his human cushions, cringing a little as his twisted ankle protested against his weight.

"Why do you have to be so stubborn? You're making it worse!"

"I'm not being stubborn!"

"Yes you are!"

* * *

**TBC**

CC suddenly realized this is the first attempt in writing a fight scene. CC hopes it's not that bad.

If anyone recognized the last bit, it is a modified version of Al and Ed's conversation in the Episode called 'With the River's Flow'.

Can someone think up of a good name to call the fire youkai? CC is tired of calling him 'fire youkai' but couldn't come up with anything.

**A/N:**

_Why is Ed angry being called a dog?_ Kistunes are known to be clever. Dog youkai are not as bright. So basically, he's calling Ed dumb. (but the fire youkai is also dumb since he couldn't extinguish between the two.)

_Where's Roy?_ He's coming! Can't have a story without that womanizer!

_Will Ed get his alchemy back?_ No. He lost his alchemy once he passed through the gate. So, no more flashy, clapping, cannon-making from Ed. It will be replaced by flashy youkai moves instead.


End file.
